Friday, January 21, 2011

Hope for a Better Budget for Education

Following the development of Virginia’s budget is even more difficult than following the process for bills. Many of the decisions are made in behind-the-scenes meetings that are technically open to the public, but the unspoken word is that you attend to the detriment of your cause.

Yesterday, member’s budget amendments were posted, and these amendments provide an insight regarding their respective priorities. Look, for example, at the amendments proposed by Delegates O’Bannon and Cox. You can view the Delegates and Senator’s amendments at the following sites:

Thanks to Delegate Tata and Senator Houck, we are still in the battle to win a pay increase for school employees. Although Tata’s budget amendment is entitled with the word “teacher,” it includes all SOQ positions. Houck’s K-12 funding amendment is a “place holder” for funds to provide the option of improving pay or saving jobs.

We are fortunate, too, that a number of members from both parties are fighting to restore the Hold Harmless funds that were slashed by the Governor ($57,599,781).

Our job now is to support these amendments to make the reports that come out of the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee more generous to public education than what the Governor proposed on December 17th.